# Newbie question for today: Cigar side effects



## KASR (Aug 2, 2006)

OK, so I've been reading some of the reviews and I've also drawn a few questions from my own personal sampling experiences.

The first question is in regards to some of the posts that I see when someone else references someone getting sick/spewing/ or feeling crappy after smoking a cigar. The only time I felt that way smoking a cigar was with a freaking CAO Moontrance. Not the Camacho, not the Bolivar Churchill....the Moontrance. What causes that?

Second question, is in regards to yet another review observation - people getting light headed or buzzed from a cigar. I've felt that way when I hit the last inch of cigar. Would this best be categorized with cigarette buzzes (gasp!) ?
Thanks gang!

I'm KASR and that's your NEWBIE Questions for the day!


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## Ermo (Jun 3, 2006)

The only side effect I have is a large credit card bill every month.

The buzz would be if you don't smoke a lot, and yes its the same as a cigarette buzz.

If you feel sick or anything you should eat before you smoke a cigar.


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## Skinsfan (Aug 4, 2006)

I have never felt sick or buzzed after a cigar but many cigars I smoke with a glass of wine or brandy or beer so who knows.


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## Golfman (Jul 13, 2006)

smoking full bodied cigars can mess me up good


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## sgoselin (Dec 12, 1997)

The only time I ever got sick from a cigar was when I first starting smoking ISOM's. My partner returned from vacation with a box of RyJ Cazadores and I fired one up at about 7:00 AM on an empty stomach. I broke out in a cold sweat and had to lay on the floor, the room was spinning. I do not know technically why it happens, I just figured it was a strong cigar and I was inexperienced. Never happened again. I smoked a Monte A at 7:00 AM today, go figure.


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## Hammerhead (Sep 7, 2005)

From your avatar, I'd say it sounds like the boobie question of the day, but welcome to CS!

There's a common effect that Nicotine has on the body, but I also think that other elements in a cigar have different impact on different people. For instance, some people are more sensitive to alcohol in different forms - some folks get looped on Champagne but can drink a fifth of vodka and walk a straight line. So in the case of the Moontrance, it might just have been the combination of aromatics or herbals, or whatever the F they call that stuff.

Everyone is different in terms of how they react to Nicotine, but sugar is universally acknowledged to reduce the excess impacts, if you overindulge either by having a very strong cigar and/or smoke on an empty stomach. The reason you feel that way at the last inch is because all the nicotine (and other stuff) has accumulated on the draw-side of the cigar.

Anyway, you're perfectly normal. Infused cigars like the Moontrance make me sick, too.


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## burninator (Jul 11, 2006)

The only cigar buzz I've ever gotten was after smoking a Cuban Delight. :r


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## KASR (Aug 2, 2006)

Hammerhead said:


> From your avatar, I'd say it sounds like the boobie question of the day, but welcome to CS!


Priceless! LOL!!!

KASR


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## 68TriShield (May 15, 2006)

I don't think my head gets little when I smoke,does it?


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## KASR (Aug 2, 2006)

68TriShield said:


> I don't think my head gets little when I smoke,does it?


Good catch! Corrected.

KASR


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## 68TriShield (May 15, 2006)

KASR said:


> Good catch! Corrected.
> 
> KASR


good job, had me worried for a minute...


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## accorddude (Aug 7, 2006)

Well said Hammerhead. I was going to say close to the same thing. The buz from a cigar is just the same as it is from any other tobacco product. A cigar has alot of nicotene in it more so than a pack of cigarettes from some research that has been done. While people say they are not addicted to cigars I fear that they are.(not really a fear).


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## StogieGuy (Jul 22, 2006)

As for getting light-headed... Are you are inhaling? B/C that would be the cause.

I've heard that eating a little sugar will make this feeling go away. There is a scientific reason for this, some sort of chemical imbalance thing, but I don't know the details.


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## EPICSMOKEHERE (Jul 27, 2006)

when i add my own filler i get a buzzzzzzzzzz:w :w :w :w


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## scrapiron (Jun 24, 2006)

I get a little lite headed toward the end of some cigars. And, sometimes I get a little sick to the stomach too. I'll have to try the sugar trick next time my stomach feels weak.


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## KASR (Aug 2, 2006)

Yea, me too - that sugar tricks sounds about right since I drank a soda after a puff and felt fine...but then again, I didn't feel badly to begin with, so I'm not sure if that's much of an indicator. D'oh!

KASR


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## Tristan (Jul 11, 2006)

sgoselin said:


> The only time I ever got sick from a cigar was when I first starting smoking ISOM's.


 Yes, sometimes cigars that are super strong can make me feel a little queezy. I think it's because they have a lot more nicotine then I'm used to.

I've heard it said that when people throw up it's nicotine poisoning to a point, because it's an overload. Could be BS; not sure!


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## BP22 (Apr 13, 2006)

Ermo said:


> The only side effect I have is a large credit card bill every month.


:tpd:

Can I get an AMEN!!!


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## TechMetalMan (Apr 2, 2006)

Another thing that hasn't been mentioned:

I find myself sometimes getting a buzz off of a cigar that is not considered a full strength cigar, yet many times I won't get a buzz off of a supposedly heavier cigar.

Not only does this have to do with eating times but for me I think there is something to do with flavour. I know when I enjoy a cigar more flavour wise I tend to take the smoke a bit deeper and hold it in my mouth a bit longer, which I think would let you absorb more nicotine.

For example- I had a JdN Antono that I didn't really care for flavour wise and I didn't get a buzz, although that is supposed to be a pretty hefty cigar strength wise. This was probably 2 hours after a meal. A few weeks later I smoked a La Veija Habana Fuma and really enjoyed the flavour at the time. I got a buzz. So go figure!


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## sirwood (Aug 26, 2003)

Yep - I do get a nicotine 'buzz'. The amount depends on the type/size of the cigar, if I have a full stomach, etc. 

I have heard of the 'sugar trick' before & I think it works! However, most references I have seen indicate you have to have the sugar before you start to feel ill. By that time, it is too late for sugar to have any immediate effects. So if I know I am going to smoke a (large) cigar, I may plan to have desert with my meal or have a sugary drink prior to smoking. :al


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## KASR (Aug 2, 2006)

The sugary rumor might be the reason port wine goes so well with my stogies. There just might be something to it!

KASR


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## Digerati (Aug 4, 2006)

Inhaling enough smoke, whether intentionally or not, will cause light-headedness, dizziness, and (for some) a euphoric buzz. The lungs allow nicotine an easy passage directly into the bloodstream, where the nicotine can quickly move to and act on the brain.

Ingesting enough nicotine orally upsets the stomach and can cause nausea. Generally, this comes from your saliva coming into contact with the nicotine-loaded tar (and smoke, to an extent) that forms at the head of the cigar, which then works its way to your stomach.

To avoid a head-buzz, don't inhale and smoke in an a well ventilated area.

To avoid an upset stomach, keep your saliva away from the cigar and avoid swallowing your saliva. Also, ingesting other things prior to or during smoking can keep the ingested nicotine diluted enough to prevent upset stomach.

Sorry for the long-winded post. Hopefully it'll clear up some confusion.


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## smokinpoke (Apr 8, 2006)

the times that i get lite headed is when i don't have anything to eat and smoke...or when i drink to much coffee and have a smoke.


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## KASR (Aug 2, 2006)

Digerati said:


> Inhaling enough smoke, whether intentionally or not, will cause light-headedness, dizziness, and (for some) a euphoric buzz. The lungs allow nicotine an easy passage directly into the bloodstream, where the nicotine can quickly move to and act on the brain.
> 
> Ingesting enough nicotine orally upsets the stomach and can cause nausea. Generally, this comes from your saliva coming into contact with the nicotine-loaded tar (and smoke, to an extent) that forms at the head of the cigar, which then works its way to your stomach.
> 
> ...


Most excellent - thanks for the 411 and advice! I'll put these into practice and see what happens.

KASR


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## petethered (Jul 17, 2006)

Hmm...

The lungs of a person who inhales their cigars must be a sight to behold. I know that if I inhale even a small amount, I begin to cough.

And I was a 2 pack a day smoker for years..


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## LT Rich (Sep 7, 2005)

I had heard something about ammonia being part of the aging process of tobacco. THe leaves "breath" ammonia as they ferment. Well some ammonia is still left in the leaves when it is rolled and continues to be released. 90% of the ammonia is released in the first year after a cigar is rolled. 

So the moral of the story is that if you were to get a cigar that is rolled early and then smoked too soon you end up ingesting a lot of that ammonia. This ammonia can then make you sick or give you a buzz... on top of the effects of the niccotine. 

I dont know how much of this is actual fact, but it seems to explain why some "medium" cigars pack more of a punch then their full bodied brothers. So in conclusion let a cigar sit longer if you smoke one of its fellow "box brothers" and found that it made you sick.

LT :gn


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## Beagle Boy (Jul 26, 2006)

What about smoking a cigar during its sick period? I’ve noticed that even the next morning my throat can be a bit sore and swollen when I've gotten a bit of ammonia off a not fully aged stick


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## Old Sailor (Jul 27, 2006)

BP22 said:


> :tpd:
> 
> Can I get an AMEN!!!


AMEN........I get a buzz smoking on an empty stomach, and sick if I eat the nub.:sl ...ok, I've been told "DON'T DO THAT FOOL".


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## ca21455 (Jul 23, 2006)

I am a one-a-day light weight, full bodied cigar junky. Pretty much get a nice feeling after a smoke (buzz) and am disappointed if I don't.
Got sick once smoking an AF, was on a full stomach washed done with plenty of rum. Don't know if it was the food, drink, cigar or running around. Anyway it was fun, (except for the yak-yak).
If it feels good do it.


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## accorddude (Aug 7, 2006)

Ammonia is used in the process of cultivating the plant. Tobacco farmers use ammonia as one of the chemicals to keep pest off of the tobacco. If you ever go to a tobacco farm you can smell ammonia all over.


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## Bruisedawg (Jul 8, 2006)

I thought I was the only one! Man, I broke into a cold sweat half way through a Black Pearl! I realized I was drinking water and had nothing to eat. I purged the smoke and grabbed a little Jack and felt better. Go figure.
-Bob:hn


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## KASR (Aug 2, 2006)

Sweets seemed to help last night with my La Unica #4 - had some port to go with the cigar and everything was cool. Down to the last inch, I got a bit of a buzz - good stuff!

KASR


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## Paddy O'Furniture (Jul 21, 2006)

I wish I could be more help, KASR, but the only time I get sick is when I realize, that do to poor planning, I just took my last stogie from the box! 
The only person to tell me he got a buzz was a guy who smoked the larger acids from Drew Estates.


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## Simon Templar (Aug 7, 2006)

Again...being a noob, My father in law, being the GREAT guy he is was giving me the initiation into his circle of stogie smokers. The lot of them made up of uncles, brothers, assorted family members. I assure you this is an "exlusive" circle of old gorillas and its an honor to be pulled in so early. My father in law built a beautiful cigar room in his back yard a large converted shed with chairs, tables, cigar antiques. Anyways, they gifted me my first ISOM a Cohiba Robusto? Dark Maduro wrapper....absolutely gorgeous. Spicy smell before lighting no flaws whatsoever. It had been in his humidor for 7 years. They thought this would make me sick being a noob. I am sure they hoped for a green face, sweats, maybe some spewing. Some great laughs for the old timers. However it turned me into a Cigar lover. I have thanked him numerous times for the great smoke. I cant wait until my next ISOM. :dr Not too sure what it has to do with this thread but just a funny story I wanted to share.


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## Miami (Oct 8, 2005)

One of the big side affects is that you might find yourself a more relaxed person. Life is good when you are smoking a fine cigar.


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## Danbreeze (Jun 27, 2006)

Some people I know are not affected by cigar strength, which is odd. I definately can tell the difference between mild-med-full bodied sticks. Which is good, b/c I prefer full bodied smokes. I was told by an older gorilla that if you are buzzed too much from a stog to drink a cup of coffee with cream and sugar to straighten you out.


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## Digerati (Aug 4, 2006)

LT Rich said:


> I had heard something about ammonia being part of the aging process of tobacco. THe leaves "breath" ammonia as they ferment. Well some ammonia is still left in the leaves when it is rolled and continues to be released. 90% of the ammonia is released in the first year after a cigar is rolled.
> 
> So the moral of the story is that if you were to get a cigar that is rolled early and then smoked too soon you end up ingesting a lot of that ammonia. This ammonia can then make you sick or give you a buzz... on top of the effects of the niccotine.
> 
> ...


Well said LT, however, the ammonia isn't actually present in the tobacco itself (at least not in substantial quantities). Ammonia, for the most part, is merely a product of the putrefaction of *nitrogenous* vegetable matter.

Nitrogen breakdown is basically the reason for aging tobacco, because aging is, in essence, just controlled decomposition. Nitrogen breakdown is important because Nitrogen is a constituent of various amines that make smoke harsh. Nitrogen is also the base for the nicotine molecule.

In other words, aging mellows the smoke and reduces the buzz. In this regard, these two characteristics of cigars are related.

LT made another good point in stating that the strength (of the nicotine) and the body (of the smoke) of a cigar are not always proportional. IMHO, however, this probably occurs because of many unrelated factors (genetics, maturity, growing conditions, etc.)

Disclaimer: This is just my :2 and how I have come to understand cigars vis-à-vis biology and chemistry. I, in no way, actually claim to know what I'm talking about


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## smokinpoke (Apr 8, 2006)

the biggest side effect that i seem to suffer is a lighter wallet and heavier credit card bill.


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## DriftyGypsy (May 24, 2006)

scrapiron said:


> I get a little lite headed toward the end of some cigars. And, sometimes I get a little sick to the stomach too. I'll have to try the sugar trick next time my stomach feels weak.


Rum has sugar in it... Port is sweet... of course then you don't know what is causing the light headedness


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## Fireman_UK (Mar 14, 2006)

I've had that sickness feeling from the mildest of cigars and afterwards feel ashamed of myself LOL. It seems to happen to me on the occasions when I run out of coffee about midway through the smoke, then am too lazy to get another drink. The 2nd half of any cigar has the potential to make me feel queasy if I don't have a drink with it.


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## DonWeb (Jul 3, 2005)

Hammerhead said:


> From your avatar, I'd say it sounds like the boobie question of the day, but welcome to CS!
> 
> There's a common effect that Nicotine has on the body, but I also think that other elements in a cigar have different impact on different people. For instance, some people are more sensitive to alcohol in different forms - some folks get looped on Champagne but can drink a fifth of vodka and walk a straight line. So in the case of the Moontrance, it might just have been the combination of aromatics or herbals, or whatever the F they call that stuff.
> 
> ...


i cuncur with all but the highlighted. i will defer until sufficient time has passed to determine his normality...


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## Mr. White (Dec 4, 2004)

KASR said:


> OK, so I've been reading some of the reviews and I've also drawn a few questions from my own personal sampling experiences.
> 
> The first question is in regards to some of the posts that I see when someone else references someone getting sick/spewing/ or feeling crappy after smoking a cigar. The only time I felt that way smoking a cigar was with a freaking CAO Moontrance. Not the Camacho, not the Bolivar Churchill....the Moontrance. What causes that?
> 
> ...


I got sick after an Opus X once, I hadn't eaten before hand and was really into the flavor of it. By the time I finished the cigar I was feeling u... I had to go lay down for about 30 minutes before the feeling went away. Since then I always try to eat something before I smoke. hehe.

I've also had the buzz as well. Feels like a good strong beer buzz.


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## Bobb (Jun 26, 2006)

I have yet to get sick from a cigar. However, if you do seem to get sick and if the sugar thing works (which I am pretty sure it does), a good idea may be to eat soom sweet friuts or drink some natural juice before, or durring your smoke. It seems natual sugar (glucose I think..but I might be wrong) absorbs into the body faster than processed sugars (fructose...I think.) This is why in all of my teacher ed. classes, we are advised to keep some natural fruit juices around in case you have a diabetic student who's blood sugar is low. Just a thought


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## whoispittsnogle (Aug 5, 2006)

How about ORAL CANCER?

Not trying to be a downer...we all know the risks.


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## accorddude (Aug 7, 2006)

Yes oral cancer is a possible side effect. Other cancers such as Esophageal Cancer, lung, and pancreatic cancer are also possible. Studies seem to contradict each other as to the likley hood of these cancers but a risk is increased over not smokeing at all.


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## Vanderburgh (Aug 9, 2006)

I am 6'2", 185 lbs, and I am usually wrecked after smoking 3/4 of a 6" cigar. Sometimes I have to stop early because I get the sick feeling. Now, I have never got into smoking cigarettes, so maybe my body is not accustom to the nicotine. I guess I am a real cheap date!

Maybe I am sucking it back too fast and I need to slow down a bit...


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## BP22 (Apr 13, 2006)

Vanderburgh said:


> Maybe I am sucking it back too fast and I need to slow down a bit...


Yes...


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## Vanderburgh (Aug 9, 2006)

So what you're saying is that it should take longer than 4 minutes to smoke a 6" Cigar?!!


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## BP22 (Apr 13, 2006)

Vanderburgh said:


> So what you're saying is that it should take longer than 4 minutes to smoke a 6" Cigar?!!


:r I figure a minute to a minute and a half per inch of cigar.


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## KASR (Aug 2, 2006)

*thud*

Kasr


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## ronschae4 (Aug 11, 2006)

I've found others calling it a "Nic-Buzz". I get it when I speed smoke a cigar. Even though you aren't inhaling the smoke in any large quantities, the mucus membranes in your mouth (inside lips, cheeks, tongue, etc.) will transport the nicotine into your bloodstream. It's a matter of how fast and how much you're exposed to... it's the same "quantity x time" equation as drinking.

As far as feeling "green", I've never felt it. Although two weeks ago, a "manly-man" buddy of mine smoked 2 Macanudo corona's at a big party we were at, and his wife had to roll him to the car in humiliation because he was falling apart between the buzz and his nausea. u

Needless to say, "Billy" is still catching shit from everyone


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## Poriggity (Dec 8, 2005)

I can get light headed on certain heavy smokes, or also, if Im puffing often and hard on a stogie.. Doesnt happen often, but it does kinda suck.. The LGC Serie R #4 kicked my ass the last time I had one.
Scott


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